(05-08-2017 05:40 PM)CajunAmos Wrote:  

(05-08-2017 02:38 PM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(05-08-2017 01:51 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  

(05-08-2017 01:11 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  Also, the top seeds are the best candidates for NCAA participation and you do not want to use up so much pitching if you can help it.

(05-08-2017 01:20 PM)CajunAmos Wrote:  And the better chance of actually winning games in the NCAA's.

UTA is the fifth best team in the conference by RPI. Now you can say they're better, and they might be, but it might just as much be a hot streak as it is an improvement. UL had won 10 straight before losing 5 of the last 6 conference games.

Just so people don't think I'm being a homer, the same goes with us who were one game under 0.500 after the opening conference weekend and we have went 23-4 since then which includes series wins over UTA, Coastal, UL, and a sweep of Mercer who is in the RPI top 50.

And if this were basketball I agree we need to put the best team forward. But as I said most years we should have a top team with a reasonable at-large chance.

Hot streak? They are 27-11 since March 1. They have five ranked wins and have not lost one conference series, on the road and it wasn't a sweep. Essentially, UTA's RPI is low due to a 2-7 start to the year. A home loss to Abilene Christian is also hurting. Otherwise, the only thing detractors have is the RPI, which is now at 82.

Cajuns are also about 20 RPI points lower by scheduling the three wins against St. Peters who is winless on the year.

I'd say that is on Coach Robe. He is usually the master at RPI scheduling so it's surprising that would have even be a series for the Cajuns. Was that a last minute replacement for a cancellation or something?

(05-08-2017 05:57 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(05-08-2017 05:40 PM)CajunAmos Wrote:  

(05-08-2017 02:38 PM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(05-08-2017 01:51 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  

(05-08-2017 01:11 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  Also, the top seeds are the best candidates for NCAA participation and you do not want to use up so much pitching if you can help it.

(05-08-2017 01:20 PM)CajunAmos Wrote:  And the better chance of actually winning games in the NCAA's.

UTA is the fifth best team in the conference by RPI. Now you can say they're better, and they might be, but it might just as much be a hot streak as it is an improvement. UL had won 10 straight before losing 5 of the last 6 conference games.

Just so people don't think I'm being a homer, the same goes with us who were one game under 0.500 after the opening conference weekend and we have went 23-4 since then which includes series wins over UTA, Coastal, UL, and a sweep of Mercer who is in the RPI top 50.

And if this were basketball I agree we need to put the best team forward. But as I said most years we should have a top team with a reasonable at-large chance.

Hot streak? They are 27-11 since March 1. They have five ranked wins and have not lost one conference series, on the road and it wasn't a sweep. Essentially, UTA's RPI is low due to a 2-7 start to the year. A home loss to Abilene Christian is also hurting. Otherwise, the only thing detractors have is the RPI, which is now at 82.

Cajuns are also about 20 RPI points lower by scheduling the three wins against St. Peters who is winless on the year.

I'd say that is on Coach Robe. He is usually the master at RPI scheduling so it's surprising that would have even be a series for the Cajuns. Was that a last minute replacement for a cancellation or something?

My understanding is they had an unfilled weekend and couldn't find anyone else. Hindsight would have been better to play a D2 team which would have had less negative impact (unless you lose one) than playing three against St. Peter.

(05-08-2017 05:57 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(05-08-2017 05:40 PM)CajunAmos Wrote:  

(05-08-2017 02:38 PM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(05-08-2017 01:51 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  

(05-08-2017 01:11 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  Also, the top seeds are the best candidates for NCAA participation and you do not want to use up so much pitching if you can help it.

(05-08-2017 01:20 PM)CajunAmos Wrote:  And the better chance of actually winning games in the NCAA's.

UTA is the fifth best team in the conference by RPI. Now you can say they're better, and they might be, but it might just as much be a hot streak as it is an improvement. UL had won 10 straight before losing 5 of the last 6 conference games.

Just so people don't think I'm being a homer, the same goes with us who were one game under 0.500 after the opening conference weekend and we have went 23-4 since then which includes series wins over UTA, Coastal, UL, and a sweep of Mercer who is in the RPI top 50.

And if this were basketball I agree we need to put the best team forward. But as I said most years we should have a top team with a reasonable at-large chance.

Hot streak? They are 27-11 since March 1. They have five ranked wins and have not lost one conference series, on the road and it wasn't a sweep. Essentially, UTA's RPI is low due to a 2-7 start to the year. A home loss to Abilene Christian is also hurting. Otherwise, the only thing detractors have is the RPI, which is now at 82.

Cajuns are also about 20 RPI points lower by scheduling the three wins against St. Peters who is winless on the year.

I'd say that is on Coach Robe. He is usually the master at RPI scheduling so it's surprising that would have even be a series for the Cajuns. Was that a last minute replacement for a cancellation or something?

As you know, scheduling is done far in advance. The Cajuns got caught in the same dilemma many league schools were in when it was announced Coastal was joining the league. The Saint Peter's weekend was supposed to be the beginning of conference for everyone except the team that had the first week bye.

If you look, you'll see schools either traveled that weekend or played lesser schools snowbirds for the most part. Troy had Hofstra (who we had already played), Milwaukee and Alabama A&M played at Sun Belt schools. My guess is Arkansas State had the bye because they played La. Tech at home.

Anyway, when that opened up, the Cajuns already had two road weekends (the first weekend had been moved to Hammond) so they were pretty insistent on playing at home. Saint Peter's was literally the ONLY school that was looking for a series and was willing to travel. By the time a couple of other things came open, the contracts were signed.

While it's true the RPI would have been less affected by playing a D-II or NAIA school, we haven't played a non D-1 in almost two decades. I'm pretty sure that didn't cross anyone's mind.